Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday servicerestructuring at an end

[NorthernSpirit]

Exactly, this stupidity has to end. Staff should sign a new contract with Sunday included or walk way. I'm fed up of this now. 1tp2h to Buxton on a Sunday is not acceptable. Everybody joining the railways KNOW there are trains on a Sunday then they pretend otherwise when suits. Pathetic. Union representatives supporting the ongoing stupidness should be named and shamed in public. This will be unpopular but at this point I DON'T CARE!

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

I remember a time when Leeds based crews were working Doncaster to Goole services on a Sunday, we're talking a good 15- 20 years ago and it worked then so why not now.

 

[py_megapixel]

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

What, reversing at Piccadilly? How would that help anything?

 

[Killingworth]

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

When we had the threatened dam burst at Toddbrook Reservoir at Whaley Bridge all trains on the Buxton and Hope Valley lines were blocked for safety reasons. Northern could have run from Sheffield to Chinley. They didn't because Northern east side crews hadn't route knowledge. (EMR crews had and ran instead but that's another story.)

Run an extra east side operated train from Sheffield to Piccadilly reversing to Buxton? There's currently an unused path every 3rd hour on Hope Valley NO! A diagramming and route knowledge nightmare to arrange, but also an industrial relations stick of dynamite to turn east and west sides against each other and the management. Run everything possible from the east side - and add more fuel to the current dispute!

 

[Fokx]

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

I remember a time when Leeds based crews were working Doncaster to Goole services on a Sunday, we're talking a good 15- 20 years ago and it worked then so why not now.

You want Leeds crews to travel 4 hours to/from Manchester plus break allowance to work a single Buxton to Manchester every other hour?

 

[muz379]

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

This assumes there is a glut of east side conductors queueing up to work additional Sundays.

 

[Geeves]

Exactly as Muz says, this idea that the east side is this nirvana of happiness doesnt really ring true when said train using east side crew to Manchester is also cancelled as often as the west.

As for Leeds signing to Buxton youve as much chance of the WMT/Avanti combo eventually signing Buxton on a Sunday if you were looking anywhere, at least they sign Piccadilly to Stockport for a start

Anyway that really is in the rounds of pure speculation

If the Northern management in charge can legitimately say that "they have exhausted all options" to me we really are heading to another Southern style situation where the RMT eventually brought about On-Board Supervisors. Fire and rehire would be the absolute dream situation for the management! Some drivers might claim to they would not accept any changes but we know money talks

 

[psmith2023]

This is one reason why I believe that an Eastern based Northern crew should work an hourly Leeds to Buxton Sunday service, as there's plenty of other services between Stockport and Manchester - provided by Avanti, TransPennine and East Midlands.

I remember a time when Leeds based crews were working Doncaster to Goole services on a Sunday, we're talking a good 15- 20 years ago and it worked then so why not now.

You cannot do that no platform space as it would take space needed as 17b is needed for 4 carriages on Nottingham services which is needed

Plus is they did a Sunday Buxton it would need 4 2 carriage sets as it's 4 hour round trip

 

[furnessvale]

Sheffield to Buxton via Peak Forest would make more sense. Even that would require a reversal at Buxton or trackwork or a new platform.

It would therefore fail on cost grounds, without even looking at demand.

 

[LowLevel]

Sheffield to Buxton via Peak Forest would make more sense. Even that would require a reversal at Buxton or trackwork or a new platform.

It would therefore fail on cost grounds, without even looking at demand.

Not to mention the very low linespeeds and very basic signalling.

 

[Killingworth]

Sheffield to Buxton via Peak Forest would make more sense. Even that would require a reversal at Buxton or trackwork or a new platform.

It would therefore fail on cost grounds, without even looking at demand.

This is a speculative thread

Maybe we could briefly diverge into a History & Nostalgia thread too, reflecting that in 1894 Buxton was the prime destination offered on the newly opened Hope Valley line west from Sheffield through the Hope Valley.

A number of big practical difficulties prevent this from happening today, not least demolition of the Midland's station and tracks into Buxton. Plus paths into and at Sheffield. Signalling and track work generally. Route knowledge for crews, stock availability, plus other little issues like making a business case to spend a lot of money for a very modest likely pay back in extra ticket revenue.

Apart from all that, I like the idea and might use such a service once or twice a year.

But back to the central issue, running more trains in the North West on Sundays. Crewing more services from Leeds and Sheffield may be a sensible possibility to consider - but only when the current spots of bother are resolved. Suggesting reallocation of duties across the Pennines at this time would be likely to add conflicts rather than reduce them.